The short answer
A podcaster who wants your music usually needs permission for two things: the composition and the recording. If you wrote and recorded the track yourself and your distribution agreement leaves direct licensing with you, you can grant both in one short written licence that names the track, the podcast, the uses, the term, the territory and the fee.
Why a podcast cannot just use a song
Every recorded song carries two copyrights: the composition, owned by the writers or their publisher, and the recording, owned by whoever paid for it, usually the artist or a label. Putting that recording inside a podcast episode copies both and pairs them with new content, so the podcaster usually needs permission from both owners, even for a ten-second intro.
Streaming stores do not cover this. A store licence lets a listener play your track inside the store; it does not let anyone embed it in a programme. Nor does a performing rights licence, which usually covers public performance only. The exact rules vary by country, but a written licence is the safe answer at any length.
Sync, master use and mechanical: which is which
A synchronisation licence covers the composition when it is timed with other content. The term comes from film and television but is used for audio-only podcasts too. A master use licence covers the recording for the same use. A mechanical licence covers reproducing the composition in copies, and because episodes are downloaded, reproduction is involved as well.
The compulsory or statutory mechanical licence that exists in some countries usually covers audio-only records of a song, not its inclusion in a programme, so the reproduction right is normally written into the same direct licence. In short, one document from the right owner can grant sync, master use and reproduction together.
- Sync: the composition, timed with the episode
- Master use: the recording itself
- Mechanical or reproduction: the copies made when episodes are downloaded
- Performance: usually the platform's or podcaster's own licence, varies by country
Check who can say yes
Before you sign anything, list everyone with a share in the track: co-writers, a publisher if you have one, a producer with a share of the master, a featured artist, and the owner of any sample. All of them usually need to agree, or the licence is incomplete.
Check your written distribution agreement as well. A distribution agreement usually covers delivery to stores and does not transfer ownership, so direct licensing stays with you. If a label owns your master, the podcaster needs the label for the master use part and you or your publisher for the composition.
What to put in writing
A podcast licence does not need to be long. One or two pages answering the questions below will usually hold up and prevent arguments later. Write it in plain language, in the language both of you read, and keep a signed copy with the track's ISRC and the episode list.
- The parties, the track title, ISRC and the names of the writers
- The rights granted: sync, master use and reproduction, on a non-exclusive basis
- The uses: intro, outro, background, full play or excerpts, and the maximum duration
- The podcast name, the episodes or series covered, and whether video versions and social clips are included
- The term, the territory, usually worldwide, and what happens to episodes already published when the term ends
- The fee, when it is paid, or the credit given in place of a fee
- No remixing or lyric changes beyond editing length and fades, and no suggestion that you endorse the podcast's sponsors
- Your promise that you own or control the rights you are granting
Content ID and the video version
Many podcasts publish a video version on YouTube. If your track is registered in Content ID through Mazufa Records, the podcaster's uploads will be claimed automatically. Tell Mazufa before the episode is published so the channel can be allowed, or give the podcaster a copy of the licence to resolve the claim.
Keep a list of every licensed use. It protects the podcaster and tells you where your music is working. Mazufa charges no upload fee, no subscription, no per-release fee; the revenue share is set out in your written agreement, and a fee you negotiate directly with a podcaster is a separate matter between you and them.
Questions people ask
Can a podcaster use thirty seconds of my song without a licence?
Usually no. There is no general short-excerpt exception for music in podcasts; the rules vary by country, but a licence is the safe answer for any length.
Does my performing rights licence cover podcasts?
A performing rights licence covers public performance, which can include streaming in some countries, but not the reproduction or synchronisation of a song. The podcaster still needs your written licence.
Should I charge a fee or give the track for free?
Both are common. A clear credit with links on a podcast with the right audience can be worth more than a small fee. Put the credit wording in the licence either way.